The Love of Comic Book Movies

As a fan of the horror genre, I have become used to people denigrating films that I love. As a lifelong comic book fan, I have been thrilled over the last decade to see the rise of the Marvel and DC cinematic universes but my horror fan experience told me that eventually their successes would create the usual public backlash. If you become part of the establishment you are ripe for derision so it was inevitable. This is fine with me since I’ve always loved what I love regardless of other’s opinions. What speaks to me may not speak to someone else but those reactions are personal, intrinsic and cannot be denied.

I have enjoyed most of the huge wave of super hero films of the past few years. There have been duds but, on the whole, I have been pleased with the variety of approaches used even within the two big groups. Much whining has been made about DC’s choice to take a darker tone in their storytelling but for me this move made their films stand out in a good way. Most of DC’s characters have harsh backstories and it is the overcoming of the cruelties of fate that help to paint them as true heroes. They weren’t born to be the people they become – they forge better selves out of their pain. It is these details that make them examples that anyone can admire and emulate because we all have trials to overcome. We need to see in these mythic tales that it can be done. Sometimes the darkest tale can be the most uplifting. Watching these gifted people struggle with the same human fears and paranoias we see reflected in the mirror every morning gives us illustrations of our own lives in brightly colored costumes. Watching these troubled souls still finding their way to do the right thing is what makes these tales so joyful for me. They present hope. There can be no hope without passing through despair. The best of these comic book films show us identifiable people defeating not just the ‘bad guy’ but the fears and anxieties we all face. Their internal battles are instructive and their external battles are entertaining. What more could a comic book fan want?

So, as we continue to move through the phase of comic book film popularity that has an ever-growing chorus of naysayers complaining about the genre’s ubiquity just remember – these films aren’t for them. They are for those of us who have dreamed of seeing these stories made with this level of talent and skill. They are made for us to finally see our modern myths told with the love and detail that the world’s past myths have been rendered. We don’t just want to believe a man can fly but that a teenager can overcome his guilt and grief to be a wall crawling hero. Or a woman forged by a cruel government into a weapon can remake herself into heroic person. Or that a selfish, petty man can become selfless when confronted with injustice. We want all of these stories and more – along with some great fights! Let them whine while we pop the corn and wait to see that extra scene in the end credits!